The present invention relates generally to medical devices for treating an injured hand, and more particularly to devices for reducing hand contracture resulting from injury or trauma.
Hand contracture may result from injury or trauma and is an involuntary tightening of the muscles and tendons in the hand and fingers primarily due to atrophy causing the hand to close. If left untreated, the hand often continues to tighten forming a permanent fist. When this occurs, the internal portions of the hand such as the palm and the region between the fingers become difficult to clean, and the fingernails difficult to trim. If the hand contracture is severe, the fingernails can puncture the palm creating a high risk of infection. Treatment usually involves extending the muscles and tendons mechanically using a variety of devices and often incorporates stretching exercises. Those suffering from fracture, soft tissue injury, stroke, arthritis, and neurological disorders are at risk for hand contracture.
Many existing devices for hand contracture treat the hand and fingers as a single unit. Consequently, all fingers are treated as if each was equally tightened. However, hand contracture can often effect the fingers individually and to varying degrees. Therefore, treating the entire hand as single unit is not preferred and often causes the fingers with more flexibility to worsen until all fingers are equally contracted.
Generally, devices used to treat hand contracture involve a rigid splint platform secured to either the topside or the bottom side of the patient""s arm. The former generally wrap over the top of the hand and pull the fingers outward. The latter generally provide a rigid platform along the arm extending to the palm to prevent further contracture of the fingers or incorporate a component such as an air bladder to extend the fingers. However, wearing a device that incorporates a rigid splint platform limits the movement of the wrist and can be uncomfortable for the patient. Moreover, the limited wrist movement makes daily routines such as dressing difficult.
Consequently, a device for reducing hand contracture resulting from injury or trauma is needed that allows individual adjustment of the fingers, does not restrict wrist movement, and provides comfort during use.
The object of the present invention is to provide a device that reduces hand contracture by allowing the individual adjustment of the fingers without restricting wrist movement.
In accordance with the present invention a device for reducing hand contracture is disclosed comprising at least one column comprising a plurality of blocks, the plurality of blocks having at least one attachment means enabling the plurality of blocks to be assembled into at least one column, and a securing band able to encircle a hand when the at least one column is positioned at a base of the fingers on the palm and extending toward the fingers of the hand. The attachment means may be any known to those skilled in the art that may withstand the force exerted from a contracted hand such as interlocking surfaces, tongue and groove, and pins. The interlocking surface may further comprise a snap or a twisting lock.
In one embodiment of the invention the blocks may further comprise an aperture located about the center of two parallel sides of the blocks, about perpendicular to said parallel sides, and extending through the blocks such that the apertures are in contact with one another when the blocks are attached into a column. When the blocks comprise an aperture, the device may further comprise a stabilizing rod. Furthermore, the columns may be connected to one another using any affixing means known to those skilled in the art such that the columns are not permanently connected such as a snap or a joining rod.
In another embodiment of the invention the blocks have a generally rectangular shape having a length, width, and height. The length may be from about one half inch to about one and one half inch, the width may be from about one quarter inch to about one inch, and the height may be from about one quarter inch to about one inch. Moreover, the blocks may be constructed of a semi-rigid polymer.
In one aspect of the present invention a kit comprising a device for reducing hand contracture resulting from injury or trauma is disclosed comprising a plurality of blocks of variable sizes suitable for use with different size hands, and at least one securing band. The kit may further comprise at least one stabilizing rod and may further comprise at least one joining rod.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for reducing hand contracture is disclosed utilizing the disclosed device comprising attaching the plurality of blocks to form at least one column, placing the column or columns at the base of the fingers on the palm of the hand such that the column or columns are in contact with the fingers and such that the column or columns extend toward the fingertips, and wrapping the securing band around the hand such that the column or columns are anchored within the hand. Furthermore, the method may further comprise inserting a stabilizing rod through the aperture of the blocks extending the stabilizing rod through the column. If two or more columns are used, the method may further comprise affixing two or more columns together prior to placing the device on the hand.